Wireless communication devices and wireless networks have proliferated in recent years. This has resulted in region having different electromagnetic spectrum profiles. For example, in some regions geographic as well as population conditions have resulted in relatively crowded local frequency spectra. Although both regulatory agencies (such as the FCC in the United States) and manufacturers have attempted to regulate and minimize such crowding, it has proven difficult to optimize and prevent interference across commercially relevant portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. In particular, electromagnetic interference, from both natural and man-made sources, is difficult to predict and to avoid.
As the use of wireless devices continues to increase, the need for high-quality communication between wireless devices, and more particularly within entire networks of such devices becomes increasingly critical. Although it is difficult to predict and regulate the data rate of an entire network of radio devices, one important factor is the quality of each individual link. The type and performance parameters for each device in the network may contribute to the overall efficiency of the network. Thus, it may be important for a network administrator/installer to monitor the overall network in a manner that allows the quick and easy understanding of multiple performance metrics. Further, tools and methods of monitoring a network that simulate the performance (or changes in performance) and operation of the network or portions of the network over time would be particularly helpful. Graphical maps illustrating (in a cogent manner) all or relevant portions of a network may be particularly helpful.
In addition, it would be very helpful to provide tools and methods of recommending new devices or components of the wireless network, and/or replacement devices/components, based on a predetermined need (e.g., signal strength, up/down times, data rate, data densities, etc.) for all or portions of the network over time.
Thus, there is a need for devices and systems (e.g. tools), and particularly wireless radio devices and systems that provide both local monitoring of the frequency spectrum of a broadly-defined operating band while concurrently (and in some cases independently) receiving and transmitting wireless radio frequency signals.
In establishing wireless networks, e.g., wireless networks providing internet access, network management becomes important. For example, a wireless internet-providing network may consist of a variety of elements (nodes in the network) such an access point, backhauls, and customer provided elements (CPEs). In managing such networks it may be particularly helpful to generate, understand and manage the network topology which may provide information of network nodes, information of connection relationships between them, and, may provide a diagram of the whole network. Such topology diagrams may be particularly useful in understanding the connectivity between components of the network. On the basis of a network topology diagram, network managers can locate faulty nodes, expand the network, and/or enhance the behavior of all or parts of the network. In particular, it would be helpful to automatically generate topographical maps.
Although there are many methods for building network topology, it would be useful to provide one or more methods and tools (including device and systems) for automatically building, managing, displaying and manipulating network diagrams such as topology diagrams, and predicting changes in networks by manipulating a network topology. Finally, it would also be useful to provide one or more methods of group modifying parts of a network topology. Described herein are methods and apparatuses that may address the problems and needs discussed above.